The invention relates to heating or cooking apparatus and, more particularly, to an oven of the type heating products within a chamber by the emission of infrared radiation and to the equippage of such an oven with shielding for blocking or reducing the escape of infrared radiation from the oven opening.
It has previously been known to utilize infrared radiation for heating of food and other products by providing an oven or other chamber with infrared emitters such as of the type disclosed in co-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 3,809,859 of Harold D. Wells, entitled "Infrared Emitter". An oven of the type utilizing such emitter is disclosed in co-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,008,996 of Harold D. Wells, entitled "Multiple Tier Oven". One particular type of oven utilizing such infrared emitters is of the so-called open hearth type wherein the oven chamber is provided with a floor constituting a metal hearth which is heated by infrared elements. The hearth provides emission of infrared energy into the chamber for heating of food and other products. The chamber may preferably also have infrared emitter panels along its roof for radiating energy into the articles to be heated. But the chamber is open at the front, hence the appellation "open hearth".
Ovens of the type using infrared emitter panels as described above do not heat articles by heated air, whether confined, forced or otherwise, Nor do they utilize redhot glowing wire or ribbon elements. Rather, the infrared radiation utilized is typically of much lower temperature than such glowing elements.
But in such an open hearth oven, infrared energy may escape through the oven opening causing heating of nearby objects and persons. This also reduces oven efficiency. In addition, air present within the oven chamber is unavoidably heated by contact with the infrared heat sources and rises from the oven opening, further reducing oven efficiency.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an open hearth oven with shielding for blocking the escape of infrared radiation through the oven opening.
It is another object of the invention to provide such shielding for reducing the escape of heated air from the oven chamber.
A further object of the invention is the provision of such an oven including shielding of the character stated not interfering with access to the oven chamber or with viewing of articles within the oven chamber.
Another object of the invention is the provision of such an oven having shielding of the character stated mounted for being selectively retracted to increase the access area through the oven opening, and further, which can be caused to remain in the retracted position yet can be easily and quickly returned to the radiation blocking position.
Yet another object of the invention is the provision of such an oven having radiation shielding of the character stated which can be readily removed from the oven.
Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinbelow.